House passes measure to honor 2nd black major league player

On Tuesday, the House passed a measure that would award the Congressional Gold Medal to Larry Doby, the second African-American to smash the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Joining the Cleveland Indians three months after Jackie Robinson appeared in the Brooklyn Dodgers’ lineup in April, 1947, Doby shouldered through the same prejudice and hate that marked Robinson’s early days in the league.

But Doby — who not only was the first black player in the American League, but the first black player on a World Series winning team 70 years ago in 1948 — has never received the historical respect he deserved.

A spokeswoman for Sen. Sherrod Brown, DOhio told Cleveland.com the senator hopes to have a Senate version of the measure passed this year. The proposal currently has 38 co-sponsors.